A River Close To Home Rebecca Thorp
“Home in it’s most profound form is an attachment to a particular setting, a particular environment, in comparison with which all other associations with
places have only a limited significance. It is the point of departure from which me orient ourselves and take possession of the world�
Relph, 1976
A River Close to Home This river holds a great sentiment to me, having been
glisten like glass but cut through you like ice. The
summers have been spent wading through the chalk
leaving fallen leaves to travel through the icy course
visiting its banks and waters my whole life. Many stream catching minnows and sticklebacks with my
net as a child. As I grew older it became a place to play
with friends and family, enjoying the views and the opportunity to cool yourself in the summer months.
Later in my years the river became a place to escape
and de stress, to reflect upon the days that had passed
beds will be barren all plant life will have died off, freely. The sticklebacks, minnows and mayflies once in their abundance will no longer be seen. While the
surrounding banks will start to turn from green to brown as the plant life dies off for the winter months. The cycle will soon be starting again and as always I will miss this.
and the days that were to come.
When returning to the river it felt like I had finally
When I moved away from the river I never realised
always had, through the same course the waters had
how much loosing this it would impact me. I lost of my
sense of place and my home. I never felt quite complete when I was away. I missed the continually intertwining water with the crowfoot, fallen leaves and branches as
they moved and flowed as one organ of life. I missed the sticklebacks and minnows dodging the oncoming obstacles while fighting the prevailing waters as the current took the debris further downstream.
Away from home there were no trees, no farms, nor harvest; to me the seasons had disappeared. At home I knew that the times were continuing, bringing great
change to the river. The waters once inviting and warm will be seeing changes from green to red as the dark and cold weather begins. The water will soon start to
come home. Seeing the familiar waters flowing as they
always travelled. Reassurance. I no longer felt lost in place nor time. I now knew that it was early summer.
I waded through the fresh waters like no time had passed. Enjoying the sensations of the water flowing
past my bare skin and the pain of my feet shaping themselves around the rocky bed. Everywhere was
green; the river, banks and woodland. It overwhemled
me. The air was sweet from the dewy plants yet crisp for summer had not fully arrived. The surrondings were the most vibrant green I had seen in years.
I realised the importance of the river in my life. I was home.
Afterword
The River Chess is a chalk stream that rises in Chesham,
wanting to be seen there have been very few sightings
within the Chiltern Hills. The River continues through
has been discovered.
Buckinghamshire. It is located North West of London the Chess Valley and ends in Rickmansworth. Here The
of the rat like creature, yet evidence of their existence
River Chess becomes an estuary to The River Thames
Within the waters of the river, plants and insects live
through London ending in the North Sea.
species of plant life one being Stream Water Crowfoot
where the chalk rich waters continue their journey Historically the river has had many uses, in the middle
ages the water meadows were home to varying agriculture but primarily cattle were to graze alongside the river. In later years the river powered paper mills
and sustained numerous watercress beds, today only one watercress farm exists.
The River now mainly has two uses: fishing and leisure. The waters contain large amounts of Brown Trout
(Salmo Trutta.) This due to the good quality, oxygen rich water the River Chess holds. Thus making it highly
alongside each other. In the Chess there are two main
(R. Penicillatus) and the other being Brook Water Crowfoot (R. Peltatus). Brook Water Crowfoot is only
present in winterbourne stretches of the river, where
the water only flows during the spring and summer months. Stream Water Crowfoot can only be found where the waters flow permanently. It starts to grow
in spring and is in full growth by May to June, here an abundance white flowers will emerge through the
water’s surface. After this the life of the Water Crowfoot
starts to end for that year allowing the watercress to dominate the stream.
popular with fishermen. Along with trout, Brook
The Crowfoot plays and important role in the River’s
Thymallus) and Bullheads (Cottus Gobio) also inhabit
level through the year along with a clear gravel bed,
Lamprey (Lampetra Planeri,) Grayling (Thymallus the river.
The Water Vole (Arvicola terrestris) is one of the few mammals to make the river its home. They hide within the banks of the Chess. Being shy creatures not
ecosystem. The plant manages to maintain the water collecting any small silt around its roots. Many fish call the plant home. Trout and Yellow May Dun Mayfly (Heptagenia Sulphure) use the Crowfoot as a sanctuary
which is essential to their survival. The River Chess is a sanctuary and home to all, flora and fawna.
Copyright Rebecca Thorp 2017. All rights reserved. All content unless specified created by Rebecca Thorp. No part of this book may be reproduced or copied without the expressed permission of the copyright holder.